# Cottonwood, Arizona

Cottonwood is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 11,265.
The city is located on the Verde River.

## History

As settlers arrived in the area, a stand of cottonwood trees near the Verde River served as a meeting place for travellers. Horses rested there before their journey up the mountains, and travellers would camp here. This location would become the center of Cottonwood. A post office was established in 1885. Main Street in Cottonwood was created 1908, when two settlers "used a mule team to pull and drag through brush". In 1917, Clemenceau, a mining town that is now part of Cottonwood, was established nearby. The Clemenceau smelter closed in 1936, causing job loses and a disruption to the area. Cottonwood incorporated in 1960.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.7 square miles (28 km$^2$), all land.

### Climate

Cottonwood has a semi-arid climate (Köppen Classification BSk). In January the average high temperature is 55 °F (13 °C) with a low of 26 °F (−3 °C). In July the average high temperature is 97 °F (36 °C) with a low of 68 °F (20 °C). Annual precipitation is approximately 13 inches (33 cm).
Climate data for Cottonwood, Arizona (Tuzigoot, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1920–present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) | 87 (31) | 92 (33) | 98 (37) | 107 (42) | 118 (48) | 116 (47) | 114 (46) | 113 (45) | 102 (39) | 89 (32) | 79 (26) | 118 (48) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 71.5 (21.9) | 74.9 (23.8) | 82.5 (28.1) | 91.3 (32.9) | 99.5 (37.5) | 108.1 (42.3) | 109.9 (43.3) | 106.7 (41.5) | 100.8 (38.2) | 92.5 (33.6) | 81.8 (27.7) | 71.3 (21.8) | 111.3 (44.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 60.9 (16.1) | 64.5 (18.1) | 71.2 (21.8) | 78.9 (26.1) | 87.9 (31.1) | 98.9 (37.2) | 101.1 (38.4) | 98.4 (36.9) | 93.1 (33.9) | 82.6 (28.1) | 70.5 (21.4) | 59.8 (15.4) | 80.6 (27.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 45.3 (7.4) | 48.6 (9.2) | 54.4 (12.4) | 61.0 (16.1) | 69.4 (20.8) | 79.1 (26.2) | 83.9 (28.8) | 82.0 (27.8) | 75.7 (24.3) | 64.7 (18.2) | 53.3 (11.8) | 44.6 (7.0) | 63.5 (17.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 29.8 (−1.2) | 32.7 (0.4) | 37.6 (3.1) | 43.0 (6.1) | 50.8 (10.4) | 59.3 (15.2) | 66.8 (19.3) | 65.5 (18.6) | 58.4 (14.7) | 46.7 (8.2) | 36.0 (2.2) | 29.4 (−1.4) | 46.3 (7.9) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 20.9 (−6.2) | 23.2 (−4.9) | 28.4 (−2.0) | 33.6 (0.9) | 40.1 (4.5) | 49.6 (9.8) | 59.3 (15.2) | 59.1 (15.1) | 49.0 (9.4) | 36.0 (2.2) | 25.2 (−3.8) | 20.1 (−6.6) | 17.8 (−7.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 5 (−15) | 6 (−14) | 14 (−10) | 24 (−4) | 29 (−2) | 40 (4) | 52 (11) | 46 (8) | 41 (5) | 21 (−6) | 8 (−13) | 8 (−13) | 5 (−15) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.10 (28) | 0.99 (25) | 1.01 (26) | 0.43 (11) | 0.42 (11) | 0.18 (4.6) | 1.64 (42) | 2.15 (55) | 1.30 (33) | 0.96 (24) | 0.70 (18) | 1.12 (28) | 12.00 (305) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.3 (0.76) | 1.0 (2.5) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) | 4.6 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 7.5 | 8.4 | 4.9 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 52.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 inch) | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.8 |
| Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 9,179 people, 3,983 households and 2,369 families in the city. The population density was 860.3 inhabitants per square mile (332.2/km$^2$). There were 4,427 housing units at an average density of 414.9 per square mile (160.2/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the city was 85.2% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 1.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 9.7% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. 20.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 3,983 households 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female as Head of Household with no Husband present, and 40.5% were non-families. 34.4% of households were one person and 19.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.90.
The age distribution was 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 23.8% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males.
The median household income was $27,444 and the median family income was $37,794. Males had a median income of $24,308 versus $19,977 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,518. About 8.9% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.
The city became one of the Arizona municipalities to approve of civil unions for same-sex partners.

## Arts and culture

The Cottonwood Public Library is part of the Yavapai County Library Network and serves the city of Cottonwood along with surrounding cities including Clarkdale, Camp Verde, Jerome, Rimrock and unincorporated areas of the Verde Valley in Yavapai County.

## Education

Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District operates public schools.

## Infrastructure

The city is served by Cottonwood Airport, a general aviation facility. It also has a public transit system known as CATS.

## Notable people

* Frederick Henry Ball – American movie studio executive and younger brother of Lucille Ball.
* Junior Brown – country singer and guitarist
* Ambyr Childers – actress
* Fred P. Lewis – U.S. Air Force; born in Cottonwood
* Ray Manley – photographer
* June Miller – Second wife of writer Henry Miller
* John Pedersen – arms designer, known for the Pedersen device
* Alvie Self – singer, member of Rockabilly Hall of Fame
* Max Terhune – actor (1891–1973)